Border crisis: Feds consider Syracuse to house children awaiting deportation

Updated on Jul 21, 2014 at 08:04 PM EDT

U.S. officials are considering whether to move immigrant children awaiting deportation into a six-building complex in Syracuse at Court Street and Grant Boulevard. The vacant buildings owned by the Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities include twin, four-story former convents and a building that once housed Maria Regina College.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The federal government is considering a site in Syracuse to temporarily house children from Central America who crossed the border illegally and are awaiting deportation hearings, according to a document obtained by syracuse.com and two sources familiar with the plans.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and General Services Administration will send a team to Syracuse this week to assess the feasibility of housing the children at the 10-acre Franciscan campus at Court Street and Grant Boulevard.

The property, owned by the
Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities
, includes twin four-story convents and a building that once housed Maria Regina College. The sources said it was not immediately clear which buildings would be evaluated by federal officials.

The Department of Health and Human Services did not reply to a request for comment on the plan. Syracuse could be among multiple sites where the children would be moved across the nation. The Houston Chronicle reported today that federal officials
planned to tour a vacant Houston middle school
that could be turned into a temporary home for immigrant children.

The sources said the sprawling military base at Fort Drum and several other Upstate New York sites have been ruled out as unsatisfactory for the housing needs. A decision on whether to proceed with the Syracuse site is expected by the end of the week.
Update: Sisters of St. Francis confirm federal interest
A spokesman for Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner said the city has not been contacted by federal officials about the housing effort. But Alexander Marion said the city would cooperate. "We are happy to help children in need if there is something we can do for them," Marion said.

The federal action comes as President Barack Obama
asked Congress today for $3.7 billion
to provide better housing for the children while they are in custody, speed up deportation hearings and improve security along the southwest border.

The children are housed temporarily until they can be placed with sponsor families or relatives, pending their deportation proceedings.

The White House proposal also would increase aid to El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, the countries of origin for a growing number of unaccompanied minors who crossed the border in the past year. An estimated 52,000 children and 39,000 families have been apprehended along the border this year and are awaiting deportation hearings.